Bobbin clutch



G. MAGRATH May 31, 1949.

15051311 CLUTCH Filed Aug. 20, 1945 Patented May 31, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' 301mm CLUTCH George Magrath, Whitinsville, Mass. Application August 20, 1945; Serial No. 611,621

4 Claims. (Cl. 242-462) 1 This invention relates to bobbin clutches of the type having expansible clutching members which maintain a bobbin seated on a whirl in position during the spinning operation.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a bobbin clutch which is a simple-construction, having a minimum number of parts, and which is economical to manufacture and assemble; to provide a bobbin clutch which is eflicient and reliable in operation and which is generally superior to previous ones of the same general type; and to provide a construction which is suitable for use in reconditioning worn-out spindles.

Further objects relating to various features of construction will be apparent from a consideraon, the whirl being formed with a concentric circular recess 4 which receives a separable neck member 5 (Fig. 4) mounted on the blade and formed with a flange 6 positioned against the bottom wall of the recess. A case 8 has a press fit about the blade I and its lower end projects into the recess 4, the interior of the case being relieved at It! and H to provide 'a. clearance be-' tween the blade I and neck 5, as shown in Fig. 1.

-'In this embodiment-the outside wall of the case I is formed with four circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extendingslots 12 and its top is formed with a, recess i l, as shown in Fig. 3".

A clutch spring l5 (Fig. 2) is formed with an annular body portion l6 and is seated on the upper face of the flange 6 of the neck 5, the spring being firmly clamped or anchored in position by the lower end of the case 8, as shown in Fig. 1. The spring i5 is formed with four circumferentially spaced resilient clutching fingers IS, the lower or fixed ends of which are disposed in the lower ends of the slots 12 so that their body portions and free ends may be flexed radially within the slots l2.

In the embodiment herein shown the free ends I. of the spring fingers are bent inwardly and upwardly so as to project into the recess ll 0! the cumulation of lint and other extraneous matter .2 I case when the fingers are flexed inwardly by a bobbin positioned about the clutch, and a cap 22 (Fig. 3), mounted on the blade I above the case 8, is formed with a depending skirt 24 which engages the bent ends 20 to limit their outward flexing movement.

The construction and arrangement of parts are such that the spring fingers 18 are normally held in expanded position with their ends against the skirt 24 of the cap 22. Since the spring fingers accurately fit the slots l2, all gaps and-recesses are eliminated thus minimizing, if not overcoming. the danger of lint collecting about these parts. When a bobbin is applied about the blade its lower end seats on the upper face of the whirl and the wall of its bore engages the spring fingers which are flexed inwardly about their lower ends. Although repeated dofiing of the bobbin may resuit in driving the whirl down on the blade, it will be noted that in this embodiment such displacement of the whirl does not interfere with the operation of the clutch mechanism.

It will be noted that the clutch spring is firmly clamped in position against one end of the case. and as the spring fingers snugly fit the slots of the case with their free ends confined as above shown, the clutch spring is positively interlocked with the lower end of the case'and thus is securely anchored so as to withstand the shocks anda.

stresses to which such parts are subjected. It

will be further noted that the case and clutching spring are supported independently of the whirl so that the clutching mechanism remains operative even though the whirl is displaced on the blade by repeated dofiing of the bobbin. Moreover, the construction and arrangement of parts are such as to minimize, if not eliminate, the acabout the clutch members, and hence a more reliable operation and lower maintenance is assured.

While I have shown and described one desirable embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of iilustration and that various changes and modifications in shape, proportions and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set. forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bobbin clutch comprising a blade, a whirl mounted on said blade, said whirl having a circuiar recess concentric with said blade, a flanged neck seated in said recess, a case mounted on said biade'above said neck, said case having a plu- 3 rality of longitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced slots on its outer face, a clutch spring having an annular body disposed in said recess and anchored between the flange of said neck and the lower end of said case in contact with the portions between the slots therein, said spring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced resilient clutching fingers with their fixed ends positioned in the lower end of said slots so that their body portions and free ends may be flexed radially within said slots, and a cap fixed to said blade above said case, said cap having parts engageable with the free ends of said fingers to limit oular recess concentric with said blade, 9. casein: disposed within said circular recess against the lower end of said ease with its spring timers extending upwardly within said slots to provide a positive interlock which prevents relative rotation orthepartsmeansattheupperendotsaidcase for limiting the outward flexing movement 6! saidspringflngersandannularmeanscircmn posed about said blade at the lower end of said case for anchoring said body portion to said case.

4. A bobbin clutch wmprising a blade, a whirl mounted on said blade, said whirl having a circular recess concentric with said blade, a cue mounted on said blade above said whirl, said case 2 having a plurality of longitudinally extending mounted on said blade above said whirl, said case i having a plurality of longitudinally extending circumfere'ntially spaced slots on its outer face. the lower end of said case extending into said circular recess, a clutch spring having an annular body portion and a plurality of circumferentially spaced resilient fingers extending from said body portion, said annular body portion being disposed within said circular recess against thelower end of said case with its spring fingers extending upwardly within said slots, the lower end of said case between said slots engaging said body portion between said spring fingers so as to provide a positive interlock which prevents relative rotation of the parts, and means at the upper end of said case for limiting the outward flexing movement of said spring fingers.

said body portion, said annular body portion be- 45 2,249,150

circumferentially spaced slots on its outer face, the lower end of said case extending into said circular recess, a clutch spring having an annular body portion and a plurality of circumferentlally spaced resilient fingers extending from said body portion, said annular body portion being disposed within said circular recess against the lower end of said case with its spring fingers extending upwardly within said slots to provide a positive interlock which prevents relative rotation of the parts, means at the upper end of said case for limiting the outward flexing movement of said spring fingers, and annular means within said recess circumposed. about and secured to said blade, said annular means engaging the body portion of said spring so as to secure the interlocking of said body portion with the lower end of said case.

GEORGE MAGRATH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in t file of this patent:

v UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 734,?47 Rabbeth July 28, 1903 825,784 Burgess July 10, 1986 1,832,072 West Nov. 17, 1931 1,895,810 Magrath Jan. 31, 1933 Magrath July 15, 1941 

